Page 79 of Savage Fate

Had Saint bought this for us?

My heart warmed as I grabbed the carton and poured myself a glass. The cold, tart drink soothed my parched throat and tasted heavenly. How did I live my life without this yumminess before Fane?

Hawk, Mina, and Hailey had decided to leave, and Ryland said he’d give Fane and me a ride home tomorrow so he could visit Ephraim.

It was weird that Fane wanted to stay the night when we could have all gone home.

Maybe he didn’t want to be crammed in a car with four other people.

As I sipped my drink, my gaze went to the glass French doors leading to a deck. Snow-capped trees stretched in the distance, meeting a pitch-black sky with bright stars lighting the heavens.

Soon, the snow and ice would melt. The wintery weather never stuck around, but I was surprised it lingered this long.

Movement outside caught my attention, and I stepped closer to the door, my brow furrowing as I peered into the yard. Shadows rippled over a patch of snow near the tree line.

No. Not shadows. That was a cloak.

A hooded figure, torn right out of my visions, materialized against the frosty backdrop.

Chapter

Twenty-Four

Before I realizedwhat I was doing, I set my drink down, unlocked the door, and stepped onto the deck. The cold air puckered my skin, but I ignored it and focused on the hooded outline.

Was it really there or a figment of my imagination?

The person or creature angled in my direction, and as the wind blew, a pair of glowing eyes peered out from the hood.

Adrenaline hit my bloodstream, and I bolted down the stairs of the deck, determined to catch the son of a bitch. My inner wolf howled, longing to burst free and sink her teeth and talons into the threat.

This could be our chance to figure out who was behind the murdered shifters.

But as my boots hit the ground and I looked up again, the bastard was gone.

What the hell!

I called on my shifter senses to analyze my surroundings, my breath fogging in the air. Everything brightened, and some of the shadows receded to reveal more of the yard. My nose lifted, smelling nothing except the faint trail of shifters and a few passing animals.

The thing was gone.

Had it ever been there?

A tingle wriggled down my neck moments before a large hand clamped on my shoulder. I yelped and spun to find a grumpy demon shifter.

“What the hell are you doing out here, fiera mika?” Hard lines carved into his face, and his nostrils flared, his irises smoldering.

“I, uh…” I glanced over my shoulder at the tree line encircling the yard. “I thought I saw one of those cloaked creatures from my visions.”

His expression darkened. “So you decided to come out here alone to investigate?” Fane crossed his thick arms against his bare chest. “Do you think that was a smart idea when we don’t know who’s really behind these murders? Even if itisthe Nosterium, that would still put you against an unknown powerful demon.”

My lips thinned. “I’m not a weak little girl. I can take care of myself.”

He flicked his hand toward the trees. “And whatever you saw couldn’t have been luring you into a trap?”

A low rumble vibrated my throat as I held my tongue. I hated that he was right. Still, I didn’t want to be treated like a helpless idiot. “Can’t I go somewhere on my own, Maverick? Do I need a bodyguard every time I want to step outside?”

“Actually, yes. I would prefer that.”

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